The report aims to provide the basis for the design and set up of experiments for the evaluation of the effects of energy conservation measures in residential buildings. The first part deals with general planning of the experiment, basic principles of building physics, thermal comfort and energy related behaviour of occupants. The second part decribes the design of the experiment, and the third part is devoted to measurement techniques, data acquisition and installation rules in the different fields of building physics and heating systems.
Presents the results of an experiment designed to measure the additional energy savings achieved by adding two person days of house doctoring to a standard energy audit. Compares a house doctor and audit treatment to an audit alone and to a passive control group. Treatments were applied to randomly selected groups of 10 houses each in Walnut Creek California. The difference in energy savings between the treatments, based on monthly utility bills, were not statistically significant due to wide variation in savings and the loss of several houses from each group.
Discusses MEPA (Microcomputer Energy Programs for Architects) which has been developed in Sweden to supply energy analysis information during the early stages of design of residential and small commercial buildings, and is used inSweden, Kuwait and the US. It is designed especially for architects using microcomputers.
Describes the Computerized Instrumental Residential Audit (CIRA), a collection of programs for energy analysis and energy auditing of residential buildings. Air infiltration is modelled using the LBL infiltration model based on effective leakage. For a given budget, CIRA can also develop an optimally sequenced list of retrofits with the highest combined savings. Energy calculations compare well with those of DOE-2.1 and with measured energy consumptions from a sample of monitored houses.
BECA-B assesses the technical performance and economics of energy conservation retrofit measures. The data collected represents measured energy savings and retrofit costs for over 65 North American residential retrofit projects. The sample size within each project ranges from individual homes to 33000 dwellings participating in a power company sponsored program. The medium value of space heating energy savings is 24% of the pre-retrofit consumption.
Data on energy use was compiled for 223 retrofitted US commercial buildings and analysed for average savings, average retrofit costs, correlation between cost and savings, type of retrofit attempted etc. Dominant building types were schools and offices. Nearly all buildings included operations and maintenance changes as part of the retrofit. 89% of the buildings which saved energy by retrofitting achieved a payback (simple) in less than 3 years. 9% of the buildings failed to save (generally because of improper maintenance). Average savings for the entire sample were 20%.
A model that relates fan pressurization results to infiltration values during the heating season is the basis for infiltration estimates in several different audit programs. Describes the model and presents validation results. Uses the model in 3 different audit strategies. The first is an energy audit to determine economically optimal retrofits for residential buildings, based on actual, on-site measurements of key indices of the house. Analyses measurements on a micro-processor and determines retrofit combinations compatible with minimum life-cycle cost and occupant preferences.
States that the dependence between the energy consumption to maintain a comfortable indoor climate and the average outdoor temperature is close to being linear (at least in the absence of significant passive solar gains). Calls the slope of the graph the energy signature of the building. Such an analysis yields a powerful tool to monitor the energy consumption of a building and thereafter to evaluate the effectiveness of a set of retrofits. Suggests that the energy signature be expressed in units of hourly air change rate.
Briefly overviews some of the available instrumentation and techniques that could be used by the home-owner, or professional auditor to evaluate energy use in houses. Includes descriptions of the "blower door" method for evaluating air leakage, and some tracer gas techniques for measuring air infiltration.
Discusses the second natural energy conservation program in Sweden implemented in 1980. This sets out to estimate the national energy saving potential, with special reference to existing housing. A refined method for calculation of energy sa
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